Sex Is Riskier At a Surprising Time of the Month

You already know how important it is to practice safe sex. But a new study found it's especially crucial to use a condom during a certain time of the month.

According to a research report published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, women are more susceptible to contracting HPV and other STDs when they're ovulating. Basically, your immune system naturally dips during this time, most likely as an evolutionary response to allow sperm to survive inside your bod so it can fertilize an egg. Even if you're not trying to get pregnant or are on the pill, it still happens at that time of the month.

Since your cycle isn't always consistent, it's hard to pinpoint when you'll need the extra defense. Our advice? Use a condom every time—it's the only form of birth control that protects against STDs.